Narendra Modi made money for poor 'vanish': Sonia Gandhi

Still refusing to take on the BJP strongman head-on, Sonia instead indirectly chose to attack his policies and the way Central funds were being made to disappear.

Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in Gujarat for its tall development claims, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the progress is nowhere to be seen here and the ruling party's promises were "hollow and false".

Sonia, who addressed a rally in this tribal dominated area of Surat district in South Gujarat said, "They (Modi and BJP) have no interest in poor and common people but its only interest is development of its own and a select few people.

"The development which was promised in a big way is nowhere to be seen in this tribal land...because what they promised were hollow and false," Sonia who is campaigning in the state before the first phase of Assembly elections here, said addressing a huge rally.

"This is a land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel who used to preach what they practiced. Now there are people who give big advice but not follow them," she said taking on Modi without naming him.

Indicating large scale corruption in Gujarat, Sonia said the Centre has provided a lot of funds to the state but we do not know where have they gone.

"We (Congress) have had a good relationship with the people of this area. Due to ongoing vested interest politics they (BJP) have constantly tried to weaken this relationship, but you all have negated their moves," Gandhi said mentioning about the support of tribal population to the Congress in the state.

Attempts were made by Modi government to made inroads in the traditional vote banks of Congress the-tribal belts-by making various promises under the Van-bandhu Kalyan Yojana of Rs 15,000 crore.

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